State Accident Insurance Fund Corp. v. Maddox

This workers’ compensation case presents the question whether the compensability of a claim must be determined finally before the extent of disability may be litigated. Specifically, SAIF Corporation asks this court to determine whether the Workers’ Compensation Board and its referees have jurisdiction to enter orders rating extent of disability where the condition of claimant previously has been found to be compensable but that issue is the subject of a pending appeal.

This case has been in litigation since May, 1977. 1 Because of the protracted litigation the issue of compensability had not…